GENEVA (REUTERS) - The World Health Organisation is forming a team of international experts to go to China to study the origins of the novel coronavirus, but it will not be in place before the end of July, the head of the WHO's emergencies programme said on Friday (July 17).

A two-person WHO advance team has been in China for a week preparing for the visit of the larger team.

WHO emergencies programme chief Mike Ryan said the health body was "very pleased" with the collaboration from Chinese officials so far, but setting up and deploying the larger team would take time.